UK Results: 2000

103 players took part in the London Open, held this year as a 7-round McMahon
tournament. 45 of them found time to play at least one game in the 9x9 event,
though no prizes were awarded in the unpopular continuous handicap event. First
at small board go was Jim Sadler (1 dan UK), second Natasha Regan (1 kyu UK) and
third Arnaud Knippel (1 dan France). The Lightning was held on the Saturday
evening. First was Seong-June Kim (6 dan UK) and second was Malcolm Schonfield
(1 dan France). Andrej Kralj (3 dan Slovenia) won the play-off for third against
Tobias Klaus (9 kyu Germany).

In the main tournament various special prizes were
given out as indicated below and the top five players received the Toyota Tour
prize money. On 5/7 were Lasse Jakobsen (best junior at 25 kyu), Bettina Rehburg
(best improver, German 9 kyu), Joakim Strom (4 kyu Sweden), Martin Gomilschak (4
kyu Austria), Albert Fenech (2 kyu France), Jim Sadler (1 dan UK), Malcolm
Schonfield (1 dan France), Matthias Bahr (2 dan Germany) and Antoine Fenech (2
dan France 5/6). Parkpoom Lekhavat (12 kyu) from Thailand was the best novice.
Top five were fifth Xiangdong Wang (4 dan UK), fourth Matti Siivola (5 dan
Finland), third Matthew Macfadyen (6 dan UK on 5/7), second Masanori Tanaka (5
dan Switzerland on 6/7) and winner Seong-June Kim (6 dan UK) who was unbeaten.
The only other player unbeaten was American 3 kyu Clay Smith who entered as a
European 4 kyu and ended up beating three 1 kyu players, winning best kyu award.

28 players, including nine aged 14 or younger, took part. It was part of a chess
and go event with almost 120 competitors in total. Higher ranked players played
even games until they lost two games when the joined the handicap section.
Seong-June Kim (6 dan Cambridge) was champion with 8/9 despite losing a game to
the runner-up Mike Charles (2 dan St Albans) who scored 6/9. Age group winners
(all with 6/9) were: Under-15 - Shawn Hearn (9 kyu Berkshire Youth), Under-13 -
James Heppell (20 kyu Norwich), Under-11 - Lasse Jakobsen (30 kyu Epsom),
Under-9 - Ben Parker (35 kyu Cambridge). Other prize winners were Michael Lowe
(6 kyu Norwich) with 7 wins and Sheila Parker (18 kyu Cambridge) with 6 wins.

52 players met at the Marton Arms Hotel, Thornton-in Lonsdale, Yorkshire. The winner on 5/5
was John Rickard (4 dan Cambridge), runner up was Lutz Mattner (4 dan Leeds) on
4/5. Prizes also for 5/5 to Jil Segerman (9 kyu Manchester), and for 4/5 to
Mathias Kegelmann (1 kyu Birmingham), Richard Moulds (3 kyu Manchester) and
Jason Fisher (8 kyu Birmingham). Proceeds from the tournament go to the Tim
Hazleden Memorial Fund, which was supporting the local ambulance service in
Ingleton, but now is supporting the repair fund for the local church.

Five teams of six battled over four rapid rounds to decide who was best. Yet
again it was Cambridge who scored 18, aided by perfect fours from Seong-June Kim
(6 dan) and David Ward (3 dan). Alan Thornton's 4/4 helped London come second
with 12. Wanstead and Reading scored 11 and Nippon Club 6 (a player short).

Geoff Kaniuk was awarded a set of mice for operating the computer, and youngsters
Nicola Hurden, Garry White and Shawn Hearn were recognised for running the
registration. Peter Kimme (1 dan Berlin) had a prize for furthest travelled. The
new format was meant to attract kyu players, but attracted a large proportion of
dan players; the event also had introductory sessions for the local public.

Cornwall Lightning Handicap 09/09/00

56 players. Prizes for 3/3 to Damir Nola (2k CLGC), Bill Streeten (3 kyu
Wanstead), Richard Thompson (5 kyu Leicester), Nicola Hurden (12 kyu Berks
Youth), Matthew Woodcraft (1 kyu Cambridge) and Konrad Scheffler (1 kyu
Cambridge). Young Kim (5 dan CLGC) won his first two but lost in round three to
John Rickard; John had earlier lost to Des Cann but had beaten Xiangdong Wang (4
dan CLGC), who had beaten Seong-June Kim (6 dan Cambridge). In the ensuing
tie-break John Rickard was adjudged the winner, by 1 point of SODOS, ahead of
Wang, Kim Y and Kim S-J.

24 players took part in the Lightning which was won by Lee Hyuk with 7/7. Seong June
Kim was second on 6/7. Xingwen Liao and Tim Hunt both finished on 4/7 with Xingwen
taking the bronze medal on tie break. Other prizes went to Simon Bexfield with 6/7 in
the McMahon section, Shawn Hearn (10 kyu) 5/7, Alistair Brooks (22 kyu, youth and
4.5/7), Chuck Smith (30 kyu) 6/7 and Mark Stretch (30 kyu ) 4/7 (beginners' prize).

The Youth Tournament had 13 kids from 3 dan to 30 kyu and 6 to 17. Ordering was full
board result followed by 9x9 percentage result. It was won by Liao Xingwen (aged 6),
second Jimmy Mao (1 kyu) and third Tom Blockley (3 kyu). U14 was Adam Eckersley-Waites
(10 kyu), U12 was William Brooks (8 kyu) and U11 was Paul Blockley (25 kyu).

Computer Go: First with 10/10 was Professor Chen Zhixing's GoeMate. Dr. Michael Reiss's Go4++
was second, its only losses were to GoeMate, one of them by only half a point. Go4++ is sold as Go
Professional 3. Yamashita Hiroshi's Aya was third, losing its games to GoeMate and to Go4++ and
losing one game to Bruno Bouzy's Indigo.

19/08-21/08 British Championship Final was held at the MSO: Matthew Macfadyen beat Des Cann 3-0.

Steve Bailey hosted this event in Guildford for 1 and 2 kyus to play through the
rest of a game started by two pros. Winner was Jimmy Mao (Bristol) with 4/4,
second Jackie Chai (Bournemouth), third Wenbo Mao (Bristol). 7 players attended.

This was held as an all-play-all at the Friends Meeting House in Walthamstow.
In order the scores were: Des Cann 7, Matthew Cocke 6, Young Kim 5, Alex
Selby 3, T.Mark Hall 3, David Ward 2, John Rickard 1, Alistair Wall 1. Des
Cann will challenge Matthew Macfadyen for the British Champion's title.

This was held at a very pleasant hotel in Boars Hill near Oxford, but attendance
was disappointing this time. Winners were Emma Marchant and Simon Goss (8 kyu/2
dan). On 2/3 were Natasha/Alex, Sally/Nick and Jackie/Francis.
Winners in the handicap section were Fiona Campbell and Jim Edwards from
Aylesbury. Youth Champion's were Nicola Hurden/Shawn Hearn. Garry White
organised a 13x13 event won by himself in a team called Giraffes. Jini
Williams/Fred Holroyd were the best dressed pairs and special prizes for
costume went to France Ellul, Jackie Chai and Lydia and Matthew Macfadyen.

63 players attended the Bracknell Tournament, held for the second year running
at Woosehill in Wokingham. Getting his revenge for last year was winner
Seong-June Kim (6 dan Cambridge). The only other player on 3/3 was
John Rae (9 kyu Internet). All those winning their first two were awarded
prizes too: Des Cann (4 dan), John Fairbairn (2 dan), Simon Butler (1 dan),
Steve Bailey (2 kyu West Surrey), Alexey Nemolovsky (2 kyu Ukraine), Paul
Johnstone (8 kyu Twickenham), Steve Smith (12 kyu Winchester) and Simon Jones
(18 kyu Berks Youth). Nicola Hurden (12 kyu Berks Youth) won the 13x13 and David
Denholm (6 kyu High Wycombe) won the go puzzle competition.

36 players took part at the Bar-Low held this time in an Internet Cafe. The
bottom graded players played in their own group. Best results in the top group
were winner Phil Beck (2 kyu Cambridge) with 5/5, Andrew Spray (11 kyu
Cambridge) with 4/5 and Joe Walker (9 kyu Cambridge) and Martin Cook (16 kyu
York) both with 3/3.

26 players met at the Novotel in Ipswich for the Friday evening British
Lightning. Nobody won all five and despite T.Mark Hall winning the first four
the winner was Tim Hunt (1 dan Cambridge). Others on 4/5 were Des Cann,
Francis Roads, Jonathan Chin, Chris Dawson and Tony Atkins. Continuous 13x13
winner was Des Cann and best youth was Shawn Hearn.
Winner of the 59 player British Open was T.Mark Hall (4 dan Bristol) with 6/6.
Second was Alistair Wall (4 dan Wanstead) on 5/6. Others on 5/6 were Tim Hunt
(Cambridge 1 dan), Vince Suttle (5 kyu Ipswich) and Shawn Hearn (12 kyu Berks
Youth). The Bracknell Berks Youth team won the Nippon Club Cup as best team.

Thames Valley Team Tournament 24/04/00

8 teams of three met at St Paul's in Bracknell for the tournament
famous for the large numbers of "T"s in its announcement (21 this year).
Reading saw of challenges from Royal Standard, Berks Youth and Bracknell
to win the Broken Stone Trophy yet again.

London Match

In the Spring Team Match in London, Cambridge showed their usual good
form, winning ahead of Central London, Nippon, Wanstead and Oxford go clubs.

Despite lack of advertisement, 24 players from 2 dan to 25 kyu attended
the Bournemouth Tournament, held at the same West Parley Village Hall
as in 1997 and 1998. Unfortunately the pub in the directions had changed
name leading to a minor road accident. Oddly nobody won all three games.
Alan Thornton (2 dan St Albans) held the title by a SOS tie-break. The
best 2/3 in each third of the draw collected engraved glasses, others
got sticks of rock.

The annual Varsity match was held in Cambridge this year. Previous years have
seen four person teams, but this time Oxford turned up with 9 players plus
three beginners who tagged along to see the city and maybe catch a few games.
Cambridge mustered 8 players. The final score was 10-7 to Oxford, thus
maintaining the tradition of visiting side winning now in its third year.

The day after Maidenhead was the British Youth Championships at Milton near
Cambridge. 26 youngsters took part. This year the top group was four players
between 3 and 5 kyu. Tom Blockley (3 kyu Worcester) was over all Youth Champion
and U16 Champion. Overall runner up and U18 Champion was Philip Marshall (4 kyu
Isle of Man). Jimmy Mao (5 kyu Bristol) was the U16 runner up. U18 runner up was
Philip Tedder (4 kyu Epsom). Also in the Under 18 section Emma Marchant
was the best girl, at 8 kyu, despite losing to Ben Morris (11 kyu Cambridge).
The U14 group was between four players between 11 and 13 kyu. Winner was Adam
Eckersley-Waites (12 kyu Cambridge) who beat runner up Shawn Hearn (12 kyu
Brakenhale) and Theo Elliott (13 kyu Brakenhale). U12 winner was Ian
McAnally (11 kyu Manchester) who beat the higher graded William Brooks (10
kyu Cambridge). U10 winner was Paul Blockley (26 kyu Worcester) and
runner up was Luise Wolf (30 kyu London). U8 winner was Ben Parker (Cambridge)
who was also the youngest player.

82 players made their way to HITACHI Europe's headquarters at Maidenhead on
the Middle Saturday of January for the Maidenhead Tournament and a free lunch.
Only four players won all three games: winner Seong-June Kim (6 dan Cambridge)
Paul Margetts (1 dan Epsom), David King (1 Kyu Swindon), Shawn Hearn (12 kyu
Berkshire Youth). Best team was Loads of Berks (from the Youth Go Club)
and the continuous 9x9 winner was Nicola Hurden (13 kyu Berks Youth).
All on 2 wins won a bottle of wine thanks to the sponsorship.